FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a prior art semiconductor light emission device having an internal stripe structure shown in, for example, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. Sho. 57-172789. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates a p type GaAs substrate, the numeral 2 designates an n type GaAs current blocking layer deposited on the substrate 1. The numeral 3 designates a p type AlGaAs lower clad layer deposited on the current blocking layer 2. The numeral 4 designates a p type AlGaAs active layer deposited on the lower clad layer 3. The numeral 5 designates an n type AlGaAs upper clad layer deposited on the active layer 4. The numeral 6 designates an n type GaAs contact layer deposited on the upper clad layer 5. The numeral 7 designates a V-shaped groove, and the numeral 8 designates a metal electrode.
The device is operated as follows.
When a voltage is applied to the p-n junction provided at the boundary of the active layer 4 and the upper clad layer 5 in a forward direction through both electrodes 8, a forward direction current confined by the V-shaped groove 7 is injected into the active layer 4 to generate a light emission. The light is guided by the waveguide made by the difference in the diffraction ratio between the active layer 4 and the clad layers 3 and 5, and the difference in the effective diffraction ratio caused by the V-shaped groove 7, and there arises a laser oscillation by the resonator constituted between both cleavage planes.
In this prior art semiconductor light emission device under such a construction, non-light emission carrier recombinations occur which depend on the surface levels of the cleavage planes, and the resonator end surfaces are oxidized by the heat of the recombination, thereby resulting in a gradual degradation in the device characteristics.